Mayor Thallemer Proclaims 2017 As The ‘Year Of The Library’
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As it observes National Library Week this week, Warsaw Community Public Library also is celebrating its 100th anniversary. During the library board of trustees meeting Monday, Mayor Joe Thallemer read a proclamation honoring the library’s centennial of being at 310 E. Main St. “It is really quite an honor to be asked to come down and help celebrate. ... To have a library that’s been here for 100 years, providing free services to those that want to take advantage of them, it’s amazing,” Thallemer said before proclaiming “2017 as the year of the library in honor of its 100th anniversary.” He said it’s been interesting to see how not only the library has changed, but how media in the library have evolved. “This really shows the commitment that you all have made to continue to provide top-notch services and a great facility,” he said, later adding, “You guys have done a great job of making the most of the revenue that you get and providing the services that our community so desperately deserves.” He congratulated Library Director Ann Zydek and her staff and the library board, telling them they’ve done a fabulous job keeping things moving up and ahead. According to the proclamation, a $15,000 Carnegie Corporation grant helped pay for construction of the library. In April 1917, the library opened its doors with about 5,000 books and 936 patrons. The library serves the city of Warsaw and Wayne Township, and has 20,000 members who can access 219,532 physical and digital items, valued at over $4.4 million. An open house birthday party for WCPL is from 3 to 7 p.m. today. Zydek said there will be cake and punch during the open house, along with a variety of activities. In other business, the board unanimously approved updates to the collection development policy and the employee privilege policy. Assistant Director Joni Brookins said the collection development policy, which was last reviewed in 2000, was shorter and more concise. She also said Warsaw’s policy was based on policies from the Boston and Denver public libraries. According to the policy, its purpose “directs library staff in the maintenance and development of the library’s physical and digital collections. The policy also defines collection development practices, and provides continuity to selection, purchasing and retention decisions.” Since the Friends of the Library organization runs the library’s book sale, a line in the employee privilege policy, which stated that employees can buy books at the book sale for half price, was eliminated.
